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Soanso's Fireside Chat: Rise of the Runelords (AE)
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<blockquote data-quote="soanso" data-source="post: 6171811" data-attributes="member: 6684655"><p><strong>Trouble at Thistletop</strong></p><p></p><p>We set out from Sandpoint as soon as Sheriff Belor arrived with a small detachment of soldiers from Magnimar. I expected more, but this should be enough to keep the town safe. We travelled east, wary that without a guide the goblins would be difficult to track. We took the Lost Coast Road, chatting up the few isolated farmers and travelers we met. All agreed that the Nettlewood was infested with goblins, but had no more knowledge than we about their situation.</p><p> </p><p>Aptly named, the Nettlewood was a hardy, dense forest of close-knit trees and burly shrubs, hugging the road and obscuring the sea from our view. Vigilance was essential, and we were able to find a switchback trail in the heath. Following what seemed to be a deer path deeper into the wood, we came to a small clearing. </p><p> </p><p>“Walls,” Shaiira said, taking a moment to soak in the sun that leaked through the towering canopy. Raising nearly two stories, such a collection of scree and shrub growth I’d never seen in my travels. Shaiira stood a moment, pointing out the structured vines, brush, and trees that formed a natural border. “Walls have doors, and… here!” She said quietly, pointing to a peculiar square in the bramble that made me wish I had gauntlets. The sharp thorns in the Nettlewood are enough to draw serious blood. Mundin opened the thicket door for us, revealing a cramped tunnel of underbrush and thorns. My stomach turned, but I followed the rest into the small corridor.</p><p> </p><p>We made our way by taking left turns through the tunnels. We reached one point that appeared to be a lookout post over the sea; we could see the rock spire of Thistletop if we craned our necks hard enough. This was something else, then. We continued on and reached another lookout rook. We could clearly see the island. Another thistle-barbed door greeted us; Mundin threw it open and we happened upon nearly a dozen goblins. Shaiira and Mundin set themselves to the doorway as we tried to pick them off from behind. </p><p> </p><p>I sang a lullaby to enhance Vohoi’s <em>sleep</em> spell, which dropped many of them into slumber. Mundin’s axe was true, and Shaiira fought valiantly. One of the goblins aided the effort by striking down one of his own for his weakness against us Longshanks. I heard the far-off braying of goblin dogs. Mundin, Shaiira, and Vohoi held the goblins in check as C and I turned to cover our flank. </p><p> </p><p>Despite the cramped quarters, we were enjoying great success against the bastards; a quartet of goblin dogs appeared, and C and I decided to wade in against them. We knew our allies would wipe the floor with the goblins in no time, and we could engage their dogs and draw them back to the rest of the party. Shaiira joined us across the room, leaving Mundin and Vohoi to mop up the incapacitated goblins.</p><p> </p><p>A big, mangy, yellow-toothed cat slinked around the corner, red eyes pulsing anticipation. I took pause.</p><p> </p><p>Something was wrong.</p><p> </p><p>And I did not hear the sounds of success from the far side of the chamber I expected.</p><p> </p><p>We tangled with the dogs until another goblin came to the scene. Its raiment was enough to panic my heart- an ensorcelled goblin. As it chanted, my heart sank. The living walls of the warren reached to grab us, entangling us with their dangerous nettles. </p><p> </p><p>Too quickly the tide turned; now we were in danger. Split by the goblin’s magic, things fell apart. Shaiira, C, and I were taking real damage from the goblin dogs; the cat was devastating. Caramour dropped first, being closest to it. The cat ravaged him with its claws and then dropped him with a vicious bite. It prowled the battlefield, stalking its next kill. Shaiira and I exchanged a glance; we would survive this.</p><p> Meanwhile, Mundin and Vohoi attempted to finish off the remaining goblins on their side of the battlefield, but met little success. The goblin’s spell gave us all pause to rendezvous.</p><p> </p><p>The cat next pounced on Shaiira, swiping and biting with its vicious attacks as its goblin master gleefully danced. In a few seconds, my sister was dead. I had seen her fall once, and it scared my soul; this time my soul echoed the dull thud of her body to the packed earth of the warren. She was dead. Enraged, I attacked the goblin, striking true. </p><p> </p><p>“Mundin!” I called as hard as my lungs could.</p><p> </p><p>I knew there was too much between us to survive. The goblin’s magic was too much to overcome- the very wood could kill us if given the chance. This, and the large cat; in my falling mind, ‘twas the first goblin druid I’d ever seen; hopefully my last.</p><p> </p><p>I was torn down by the pack of goblin dogs, I think. I know I crumpled into a heap. </p><p> *</p><p> Mundin heaved a sigh, looking towards the entangled growth that separated him from Shaiira and the rest. He and Vohoi were trapped on the wrong end of magic.</p><p> </p><p>His heart skipped when the dire nettles were dispelled- it was the worst of all scenarios. The others were captured, or worse. He hefted his axe and turned to Vohoi, a stranger barely known but an ally now.</p><p> </p><p>“Ye might best say a prayer now. You’ll die alone.” Mundin walked towards their allies’ last known position.</p><p> Vohoi pulled himself up to his full height, nearly another dwarf taller than his companion. “Ye best say a prayer now, friend, for we die together.”</p><p> The dwarf stopped, and turned his head. “Aye?”</p><p> “Aye.” Vohoi met Mundin as the goblin shaman and its cat moved in for the kill.</p><p> </p><p>Mundin traded blows with both goblin and cat, who ravaged him with claw and tooth. Vohoi, sensing the battle was out of hand, made one last attempt to turn the tide.</p><p> </p><p>Focusing his last spell, he jolted the druid with a cacophony of electricity, sending the howling goblin slinking away, cat protecting the retreat.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="soanso, post: 6171811, member: 6684655"] [b]Trouble at Thistletop[/b] We set out from Sandpoint as soon as Sheriff Belor arrived with a small detachment of soldiers from Magnimar. I expected more, but this should be enough to keep the town safe. We travelled east, wary that without a guide the goblins would be difficult to track. We took the Lost Coast Road, chatting up the few isolated farmers and travelers we met. All agreed that the Nettlewood was infested with goblins, but had no more knowledge than we about their situation. Aptly named, the Nettlewood was a hardy, dense forest of close-knit trees and burly shrubs, hugging the road and obscuring the sea from our view. Vigilance was essential, and we were able to find a switchback trail in the heath. Following what seemed to be a deer path deeper into the wood, we came to a small clearing. “Walls,” Shaiira said, taking a moment to soak in the sun that leaked through the towering canopy. Raising nearly two stories, such a collection of scree and shrub growth I’d never seen in my travels. Shaiira stood a moment, pointing out the structured vines, brush, and trees that formed a natural border. “Walls have doors, and… here!” She said quietly, pointing to a peculiar square in the bramble that made me wish I had gauntlets. The sharp thorns in the Nettlewood are enough to draw serious blood. Mundin opened the thicket door for us, revealing a cramped tunnel of underbrush and thorns. My stomach turned, but I followed the rest into the small corridor. We made our way by taking left turns through the tunnels. We reached one point that appeared to be a lookout post over the sea; we could see the rock spire of Thistletop if we craned our necks hard enough. This was something else, then. We continued on and reached another lookout rook. We could clearly see the island. Another thistle-barbed door greeted us; Mundin threw it open and we happened upon nearly a dozen goblins. Shaiira and Mundin set themselves to the doorway as we tried to pick them off from behind. I sang a lullaby to enhance Vohoi’s [I]sleep[/I] spell, which dropped many of them into slumber. Mundin’s axe was true, and Shaiira fought valiantly. One of the goblins aided the effort by striking down one of his own for his weakness against us Longshanks. I heard the far-off braying of goblin dogs. Mundin, Shaiira, and Vohoi held the goblins in check as C and I turned to cover our flank. Despite the cramped quarters, we were enjoying great success against the bastards; a quartet of goblin dogs appeared, and C and I decided to wade in against them. We knew our allies would wipe the floor with the goblins in no time, and we could engage their dogs and draw them back to the rest of the party. Shaiira joined us across the room, leaving Mundin and Vohoi to mop up the incapacitated goblins. A big, mangy, yellow-toothed cat slinked around the corner, red eyes pulsing anticipation. I took pause. Something was wrong. And I did not hear the sounds of success from the far side of the chamber I expected. We tangled with the dogs until another goblin came to the scene. Its raiment was enough to panic my heart- an ensorcelled goblin. As it chanted, my heart sank. The living walls of the warren reached to grab us, entangling us with their dangerous nettles. Too quickly the tide turned; now we were in danger. Split by the goblin’s magic, things fell apart. Shaiira, C, and I were taking real damage from the goblin dogs; the cat was devastating. Caramour dropped first, being closest to it. The cat ravaged him with its claws and then dropped him with a vicious bite. It prowled the battlefield, stalking its next kill. Shaiira and I exchanged a glance; we would survive this. Meanwhile, Mundin and Vohoi attempted to finish off the remaining goblins on their side of the battlefield, but met little success. The goblin’s spell gave us all pause to rendezvous. The cat next pounced on Shaiira, swiping and biting with its vicious attacks as its goblin master gleefully danced. In a few seconds, my sister was dead. I had seen her fall once, and it scared my soul; this time my soul echoed the dull thud of her body to the packed earth of the warren. She was dead. Enraged, I attacked the goblin, striking true. “Mundin!” I called as hard as my lungs could. I knew there was too much between us to survive. The goblin’s magic was too much to overcome- the very wood could kill us if given the chance. This, and the large cat; in my falling mind, ‘twas the first goblin druid I’d ever seen; hopefully my last. I was torn down by the pack of goblin dogs, I think. I know I crumpled into a heap. * Mundin heaved a sigh, looking towards the entangled growth that separated him from Shaiira and the rest. He and Vohoi were trapped on the wrong end of magic. His heart skipped when the dire nettles were dispelled- it was the worst of all scenarios. The others were captured, or worse. He hefted his axe and turned to Vohoi, a stranger barely known but an ally now. “Ye might best say a prayer now. You’ll die alone.” Mundin walked towards their allies’ last known position. Vohoi pulled himself up to his full height, nearly another dwarf taller than his companion. “Ye best say a prayer now, friend, for we die together.” The dwarf stopped, and turned his head. “Aye?” “Aye.” Vohoi met Mundin as the goblin shaman and its cat moved in for the kill. Mundin traded blows with both goblin and cat, who ravaged him with claw and tooth. Vohoi, sensing the battle was out of hand, made one last attempt to turn the tide. Focusing his last spell, he jolted the druid with a cacophony of electricity, sending the howling goblin slinking away, cat protecting the retreat. [/QUOTE]
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